501 vocabulary questions

501 Vocabulary Questions A rich vocabulary is both a great asset and a great joy. When you have an extensive vocabulary, you can provide precise, vivid descriptions; you can speak more fluently and with more confidence; you can understand more of what you read; and you can read more

501 Vocabulary Questions

Vocabulary Questions

N E W Y O R K

®

PE1449.C47 2003

428.1'076—dc21

2003001224 Printed in the United States of America

The LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team is

comprised of experts in test preparation, as well as educators and teachers who specialize in language arts and math

LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team

Lara Bohlke

Middle School Math Teacher, Grade 8

Dodd Middle School

Polytechnic University, Brooklyn

South Orange, New Jersey

Brigit Dermott

Freelance Writer

English Tutor, New York Cares

New York, New York

Darren Dunn

English Teacher

Riverhead School District

Riverhead, New York

Barbara Fine

English Instructor

Secondary Reading Specialist

Setauket, New York

Curriculum and Technology Specialist

New York, New York

Middle School Math Teacher, Grade 8

Shoreham/Wading River School District

Math Tutor

St James, New York

Colleen Schultz

Middle School Math Teacher, Grade 8

Vestal Central School District

Math Tutor

Vestal, New York

Introduction ix

1 It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say it 1

2 Word Pairs I 11

3 Personality Traits and Attitudes I 19

4 One-Syllable Wonder Words 27

5 Lights, Camera, Action—Vivid Verbs 35

6 Crime and Punishment 43

7 To Be or Not To Be 51

8 Word Pairs II 61

9 What’s It Like? Appearances and Conditions 69

10 Person, Place, or Thing? Nouns I 75

11 Words about Work and Play, Food and Drink, 81and Time

12 Opposites Attract—Antonyms I 89

13 Describing Ideas and Arguments 97

Contents

14 Things to Do—More Useful Verbs 103

15 Word Pairs III 113

16 Personality Traits and Attitudes II 121

17 Government and Politics 131

18 Person, Place, or Thing? Nouns II 141

19 What’s It Like? More Words to Describe Things 149

A rich vocabulary is both a great asset and a great joy When you have anextensive vocabulary, you can provide precise, vivid descriptions; you canspeak more fluently and with more confidence; you can understand more

of what you read; and you can read more sophisticated texts A good ulary can enrich your personal life, help you achieve academic success, andgive you an edge over others in the workplace

vocab-Whether you want to improve your vocabulary for a standardized test,learn more effective communication skills to use in the workplace, or bemore articulate in social situations, the 501 questions in this book will helpyou achieve your goal

How to Use This Book

Each chapter begins with a list of words and their definitions These arewords you can expect to find in newspapers and magazines, in business doc-uments, in textbooks, and on standardized tests like the SAT The 501words are divided by theme into 25 chapters Each chapter has 20 questions

to test your knowledge of the words in that chapter The questions may be

Introduction

multiple-choice, matching, fill in the blank, synonym/antonym, or analogy.

In addition, the four “Word Pairs” chapters ask you to complete a word puzzle with the chapter’s vocabulary words Answers to each questionare provided at the end of each chapter

cross-The questions increase slightly in difficulty towards the end of the book,but you can complete the chapters in any order you wish If you prefer onetheme over another, you can skip ahead to that chapter Just be sure to comeback and complete each section

When you are ready to begin, review the word list at the beginning ofeach chapter Read each definition carefully You may find that you do notknow the exact meaning of words that you thought were familiar, even ifyou know the context in which the word is often used For instance, the

phrase moot point has come to mean a point not worth discussing because it

has no value or relevance This is a non-standard use of the word but one

that has come to be accepted Moot actually means debatable or undecided.

You may also find that some words have secondary meanings that you donot know

To help seal the words and their meanings in your memory, try thesegeneral vocabulary-building strategies:

1 Create flashcards Use index cards to create an easy and effective

study tool Put the vocabulary word on one side and its meaning and

a sample sentence on the other You can copy the sample sentencefrom the word list, but you will learn the word faster and remember

it better if you create a sentence of your own

2 Use the words as you learn them The best way to remember what

a word means is to use it Make it an active part of your vocabulary

as soon as possible Use the word in a letter to a friend, as you write

in your journal, or in your next conversation with a coworker Shareyour new words with your best friend, your siblings, or your spouse

3 Keep it manageable You can’t learn 501 new words overnight, and

you will only get frustrated if you try to memorize them all at once

x

x i

4 Review, review, review After you learn a set of words, remember

to review those words regularly If you simply keep moving forwardwith new words without stopping to review everything you havealready learned, much of your effort will be in vain Repetition is thekey to mastery, especially with vocabulary The more you review thewords and their meanings and the more you use them, the morequickly and permanently they will become part of your vocabulary

You can use this book to review as often as you like Review the word listperiodically, and give yourself the opportunity to answer each questionmore than once Instead of writing in this book, write all of your answers

on a separate piece of paper If you prefer to write in the book, mark youranswers lightly in pencil so that you can erase your answers and use the 501questions for review a few months or years down the road

Congratulations on taking these very important steps toward building abetter vocabulary Enjoy!

501 Vocabulary Questions

Have you ever been severely remonstrated by an authority figure for

doing something you shouldn’t have? Have you ever embarrassed yourself

by committing a solecism during a formal occasion? As we communicate with

one another, we use words as a means of expression The words in thischapter describe different things we might say and how we might say them.You can find the answers to each question in this section at the end of thechapter

1

It’s Not What

You Say, But

How You Say It

Word List

bombastic (bom·bas·tik) adj speaking pompously, with inflated importance Ahmed was shocked that a renowned and admired humanitarian could give such a bombastic keynote address.

self-censure (sen·shu˘r) n an expression of strong criticism or disapproval; a rebuke or condemnation After the Senator was found guilty of taking bribes, Congress unanimously agreed to censure him.

derisive (di·r¯·siv) adj scornful, expressing ridicule; mocking, jeering In order to ensure a positive environment, derisive comments were forbidden in the classroom.

disparage (di·spar·ij) v to speak of in a slighting or derogatory way; to belittle Comedians often disparage politicians as part of their comedic routines.

effusive (i·fyoo·siv) adj expressing emotions in an unrestrained or sive way; profuse, overflowing, gushy Anne’s unexpected effusive greeting made Tammy uncomfortable.

exces-eloquent (el·o˘·kwe˘nt) adj expressing strong emotions or arguments in

a powerful, fluent, and persuasive manner Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is considered one of the most eloquent speeches ever given by a U.S president.

gainsay (ayn·say) v to deny, contradict, or declare false; to oppose Petra would gainsay all accusations made against her.

harangue (ha·ran) n a long, often scolding or bombastic speech; a tirade Members of the audience began to get restless during the senator’s political harangue.

importune (im·por·toon) v 1 to ask incessantly, make continuous requests.

2 to beg persistently and urgently Children can’t help but importune during the holidays, constantly nagging for the irresistible toys they see advertised on tel- evision.

malapropism (mal·a˘·prop·iz·e˘m) n comical misuse of words, especially those that are similar in sound The politician’s malapropisms may make us laugh, but they will not win our votes.

mince (mins) v 1 to cut into very small pieces 2 to walk or speak

affect-edly, as with studied refinement 3 to say something more delicately or

indirectly for the sake of politeness or decorum Please don’t mince your words—just tell me what you want to say.

2

opprobrious (o˘·proh·bri·u˘s) adj 1 expressing contempt or reproach; scornful, abusive 2 bringing shame or disgrace It was inappropriate to make such opprobrious remarks in front of everybody.

oxymoron (oks·i·moh·ro˘n) n a figure of speech containing a seemingly contradictory combination of expressions, such as friendly fire The term

“non-working mother” is a contemptible oxymoron.

platitude (plat·i·tood) n a trite or banal statement, especially one uttered

as if it were new Matthew offered me several platitudes but no real advice.

remonstrate (ri·mon·strayt) v 1 to say or plead in protest, objection, or opposition 2 to scold or reprove The children remonstrated loudly when their mother told them they couldn’t watch that movie.

repartee (rep·a˘r·tee) n 1 a quick, witty reply 2 the ability to make witty replies He wasn’t expecting such a sharp repartee from someone who was normally

so quiet.

sardonic (sahr·don·ik) adj sarcastic; mocking scornfully I was hurt by his sardonic reply.

sententious (sen·ten·shu˘s) adj 1 expressing oneself tersely; pithy 2 full

of maxims and proverbs offered in a self-righteous manner I was looking for your honest opinion, not a sententious reply.

solecism (sol·e˘·siz·e˘m) n 1 a mistake in the use of language 2 violation

of good manners or etiquette; impropriety Frank’s solecism caused his debate team much embarrassment.

voluble (vol·yu˘·be˘l) adj 1 talking a great deal and with great ease; language

marked by great fluency; rapid, nimble speech 2 turning or rotating

eas-ily on an axis Your new spokesperson is very voluble and clearly comfortable ing in front of large audiences.

Read the following sentences carefully Decide which word best describes what is being said and circle the letter of the correct answer (If you do not own this book, please write your answers on a separate piece of paper.)

1 “Bundle up,” said Aunt Margaret “I don’t want you getting sickand coming down with ammonia.”

The underlined word is a(n)

This little boy is

a gainsaying his mother.

b importuning his mother.

c disparaging his mother.

d censuring his mother.

3 “You are hopeless! I cannot believe your files are in such disorder,”the irritable supervisor shouted

This teenager is

a remonstrating her mother.

b importuning her mother.

c gainsaying her mother.

d being sententious.

4

5 “Oh, wow! I just can’t believe it! I’m so excited! This is the bestthing ever! I am very, very happy,” the new homeowner declared.This remark is

9 “They’ve labeled the poster an authentic reproduction,” the

antique dealer said “That’s like calling a book on the bestseller list

10 “No, that’s not how it happened,” the honor student said “Julianna

is lying Winston didn’t steal her idea; she took it from him.”This speaker is

11 Darlene found that Jonathan’s remarks (ed) her so muchthat their relationship was at stake His critical comments wereunkind

12 When he discovered the error, Chesterton lashed out at Watkins.His lasted for several minutes and shocked everyone in

6

13 ABC Paper has been polluting our river for the last 20 years andhas been keeping it from the public This is not just wrong, it’scriminal ABC Paper is guilty of unforgivable sins against theenvironment and against the people of our state and deserves themost severe

14 Because she is so , she has no trouble meeting new people

or talking in front of a crowd

15 I wish Edna would be more straightforward She’s always

(ing) her words, as if she is afraid she will hurt my

“good things come to those who wait.”

20 How could our humble, soft-spoken president make such a

statement to the newcomer in the group?

1 a A malapropism is the comical misuse of words, especially those

similar in sound Here, the speaker says, “ammonia” instead of

“pneumonia.”

2 b To importune is to ask incessantly or beg persistently.

3 d An opprobrious remark is one that is scornful and expresses

contempt

4 a To remonstrate is to say or plead in protest or objection.

Remonstrate can also mean to scold or reprove.

5 c An effusive remark expresses emotions in an unrestrained or

excessive way

6 a A derisive comment expresses scorn and ridicules or mocks

something or someone

7 b A solecism is a mistake in the use of language or a violation of

good manners or etiquette

8 a A sententious reply is one that is full of maxims and proverbs

offered in a self-righteous manner Sententious can also mean expressing oneself tersely.

9 b An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing a seemingly

contradictory combination of words Authentic reproduction and new classic are oxymorons.

10 c To gainsay is to deny, contradict, or declare false; to oppose.

11 To disparage is to belittle, to speak of in a derogatory way.

12 A harangue is a tirade; a long, scolding or bombastic speech.

13 A censure is a rebuke or expression of strong criticism and

disapproval

14 A voluble person talks a great deal and with immense ease.

8

15 To mince means to say something more delicately or indirectly for

the sake of politeness or decorum It can also mean to chop intovery small pieces or to walk or speak affectedly

16 Eloquent means expressing strong emotions or arguments in a

powerful, fluent, and persuasive manner

17 Sardonic means sarcastic, mocking scornfully.

18 A repartee is a quick, witty reply or the ability to make such replies.

19 A platitude is a trite or banal statement, especially one uttered as if

it were new

20 Bombastic means speaking pompously, with inflated

self-importance

Have you ever felt ambivalent or irresolute? Did you ever smell

some-thing noisome or noxious? These words are almost exactly the same in ing, and they are called word pairs This is the first of four chapters of word

mean-pairs Each word pair chapter contains ten sets of synonyms

2

Word Pairs I

Word List

ambivalent (am·biv·a˘·le˘nt) adj having mixed or conflicting feelings about

a person, thing, or situation; uncertain She was ambivalent about the proposal for the shopping center because she understood the arguments both for and against its construction.

ephemeral (i·fem·e˘·ra˘l) adj lasting only a very short time; transitory Numerous ephemeral ponds and pools can be found in the desert during the rainy season.

garrulous (ar·u·lu˘s) adj talkative Andrew had the unfortunate luck of being seated next to a garrulous young woman for his 12-hour flight.

inchoate (in·koh·it) adj 1 just begun; in an initial or early stage of opment; incipient 2 not yet fully formed; undeveloped, incomplete Dur- ing the inchoate stage of fetal growth, it is difficult to distinguish between a cow, a frog, and a human; it is not until they mature that the developing embryos take

devel-on the characteristics of their own particular species.

irk (urk) v to annoy, irritate, or vex Teenagers are continually irked by their parents—and vice versa.

irresolute (i·rez·o˘·loot) adj feeling or showing uncertainty; hesitant, cisive Sandra is still irresolute, so if you talk to her, you might help her make up her mind.

inde-loquacious (loh·kway·shu˘s) adj talkative, garrulous The loquacious woman sitting next to me on the six-hour flight talked the entire time.

mitigate (mit·˘·ayt) v 1 to make less intense or severe 2 to moderate the force or intensity of, soften; diminish, alleviate The unusual extenuating cir- cumstances mitigated her punishment.

nascent (nas·e˘nt) adj coming into existence, emerging The nascent ment gathered strength quickly and soon became a nationwide call to action.

move-noisome (noi·so˘m) adj 1 offensive, foul, especially in odor; putrid 2 harmful, noxious What a noisome odor is coming from that garbage can!

noxious (nok·shu˘s) adj unpleasant and harmful, unwholesome The noxious smell drove everyone from the room.

palliate (pal·i·ayt) v 1 to make something less intense or severe; mitigate,

alleviate; to gloss over, put a positive spin on 2 to provide relief from pain,

relieve the symptoms of a disease or disorder The governor tried to palliate

1 2

sordid (sor·did) adj 1 dirty, wretched, squalid 2 morally degraded This sordid establishment should be shut down immediately.

squalid (skwol·id) adj 1 filthy and wretched 2 morally repulsive, sordid The housing inspectors noted such deplorable and squalid living conditions in the decrepit building on Water Street that they were forced to evacuate the tenants.

stoical (stoh·i·ka˘l) adj seemingly unaffected by pleasure or pain; ent, impassive He remained stoical as his wife told him she was leaving.

indiffer-stolid (stol·id) adj not feeling or showing emotion, impassive; not easily aroused or excited Maxine is a very stolid person, so it is very difficult to tell how she feels.

transient (tran·zhe˘nt) adj lasting only a very short time; fleeting, tory, brief Their relationship was transient, but profound.

transi-vex (veks) v 1 to annoy, irritate 2 to cause worry to I was completely vexed

by his puerile behavior.

voracious (voh·ray·shu˘s) adj excessively greedy, rapacious; having a great appetite for something, devouring greedily I have always been a voracious reader, consuming dozens of books every month.

Crossword Puzzle Directions

In this puzzle, each clue is offered twice, once for each word in the wordpair Read the definition provided in the clue and determine which twowords share that meaning Then, determine which of those synonyms fits

in the designated crossword squares

Word Pairs I Crossword Puzzle

27 26

1 5

ACROSS

22 to annoy, irritate (paired with 30 down)

23 not showing emotion (paired with 38 down)

26 talkative, chatty (paired with 24 down)

29 excessively greedy (paired with 31 down)

32 unsure, undecided (paired with 25 down)

33 dirty, filthy, wretched (paired with 27 down)

34 brief, lasting only a short time (paired with 28 down)

37 to make less intense or severe (paired with 40 across)

39 foul, unhealthy (paired with 21 down)

40 to make less intense or severe (paired with 37 across)DOWN

21 foul, unhealthy (paired with 39 across)

24 talkative, chatty (paired with 26 across)

25 unsure, undecided (paired with 32 across)

27 dirty, filthy, wretched (paired with 33 across)

28 brief, lasting only a short time (paired with 34 across)

30 to annoy, irritate (paired with 22 across)

31 excessively greedy (paired with 29 across)

35 just beginning, in its earliest stages (paired with 36 down)

36 just beginning, in its earliest stages (paired with 35 down)

38 not showing emotion (paired with 23 across)

22 To vex means to annoy or irritate; irk.

23 Stoical means seemingly unaffected by pleasure or pain; indifferent

or impassive A stoical person, like a stolid person, would not show

emotion

26 Garrulous means talkative, chatty; loquacious.

29 Rapacious means excessively greedy and grasping, voracious.

32 Irresolute means feeling or showing uncertainty; hesitant,

provide relief from pain or from symptoms of a disease

39 Noisome means offensive, foul, especially in odor; harmful or noxious.

40 To mitigate is to make less intense or severe; to moderate the force

or intensity of something; alleviate, palliate.

Down

21 Noxious means unpleasant and harmful; unwholesome, noisome.

24 Loquacious means talkative; garrulous.

25 Ambivalent means having mixed or conflicting feelings about something; uncertain, irresolute.

27 Squalid means filthy, wretched; morally repulsive, sordid.

1 6

1 7

28 Ephemeral means lasting only a very short time; transient.

30 Irk means to annoy, irritate; vex.

31 Voracious means excessively greedy, having a great appetite for something, rapacious.

35 Inchoate means just begun, in an initial or early stage of

development; nascent.

36 Nascent means just coming into existence, emerging; inchoate.

38 Stolid means not feeling or showing emotion; impassive, stoical.

27 26

A

A

A

A A

A

A A

N

N N

N

N I

I

V

V

V I

L

L L

L

L

L

L L

O

O O

S

S

S S

S

B S

S

S

S

S I

I

I I

H C

C C

T

T T T

T

T

E

E E

R R

R

R R

R R

G R R

R K

U

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O I U

M

M

M

M

Are you personable or petulant? Perfidious or punctilious? The 20 words in

this chapter identify some of the characteristics that describe who we areand how we behave

3

Personality Traits and Attitudes I

churlish (chur·l˘sh) adj ill-mannered, boorish, rude Angelo’s churlish remarks made everyone at the table uncomfortable and ill at ease.

circumspect (sur·ku˘m·spekt) adj cautious, wary, watchful The captain was circumspect as he guided the boat through the fog.

craven (kray·ve˘n) adj cowardly “This craven act of violence will not go ished,” remarked the police chief.

unpun-diffident (dif·i·de˘nt) adj lacking self-confidence; shy and timid Alan’s fident nature is often misinterpreted as arrogance.

dif-gregarious (re˘·air·i·u˘s) adj 1 seeking and enjoying the company of ers; sociable 2 tending to form a group with others of the same kind John was a gregarious fellow who always had fun at social events.

oth-irascible (i·ras·˘·be˘l) adj irritable, easily aroused to anger; hot tempered Her irascible temperament caused many problems with the staff at the office.

overweening (oh·ve˘r·wee·nin) adj 1 presumptuously arrogant, bearing 2 excessive, immoderate I quit because I couldn’t stand to work for such an overweening boss.

over-perfidious (pe˘r·fid·i·u˘s) adj treacherous, dishonest; violating good faith, disloyal The perfidious knight betrayed his king.

personable (pur·so˘·na˘·be˘l) adj pleasing in appearance or manner; tive Sandra is personable and well-liked by her peers.

attrac-petulant (pech·u·la˘nt) adj peevish; unreasonably or easily irritated or annoyed The pouting and sulking child could only be described as petulant.

pretentious (pri·ten·shu˘s) adj showy, pompous, putting on airs Hannah thinks that being pretentious will make people like her, but she is sorely mistaken.

2 0

2 1

puerile (pyoo·e˘·r˘l) adj 1 childish, immature 2 suitable only for children; belonging to or of childhood Andrew is a remarkably successful businessman for someone so puerile.

punctilious (punk·til·i·u˘s) adj very conscientious and precise; paying great attention to details or trivialities, especially in regard to etiquette Kira

is as punctilious in her personal affairs as she is in the workplace.

sagacious (sa˘·ay·shu˘s) adj having or showing sound judgment; tive, wise My sagacious uncle always gives me good, sound advice.

percep-sanguine (san·win) adj 1 confidently cheerful, optimistic 2 of the color

of blood; red People are drawn to her because of her sanguine and pleasant nature.

saturnine (sat·u˘r·n¯n) adj gloomy, dark, or sullen The saturnine child sulked for hours.

surly (sur·lee) adj bad-tempered, gruff, or unfriendly in a way that suggests menace Emily received a surly greeting from the normally cheerful receptionist.

Choose the answer that is the best response for each question below.

If you do not own this book, please write your answers on a separate piece of paper.

41 Which of the following traits is most desirable in a roommate?

43 Which kind of person would most likely make the best waiter?

a someone who is blithe

b someone who is overweening

c someone who is perfidious

d someone who is punctilious

44 Which kind of person would most likely make the best spy?

a someone who is capricious

b someone who is craven

c someone who is perfidious

d someone who is sagacious

45 Which kind of person would most likely make the best judge?

a someone who is diffident

b someone who is sagacious

c someone who is sanguine

d someone who is saturnine

46 Which kind of person would most likely make the best securityguard?

a someone who is bumptious

b someone who is circumspect

c someone who is gregarious

d someone who is perfidious

2 2

2 3

47 Which kind of person would most likely be the best companionwhen you are feeling sad?

a someone who is bumptious

b someone who is irascible

c someone who is puerile

d someone who is sanguine

48 Which character trait would you least like to see in a soldier?

b a young child in a playground

c the mother of a very sick child

d a surgeon during an operation

52 petulant

a someone who throws a tantrum because his or her soup was not

warm enough

b someone who is going on an important job interview

c someone who needs to earn a little extra money

d someone who doesn’t like being with other people

53 puerile

a an infant

b a ten year old who has never been given responsibility

c a thirty-four year old with too much responsibility

d an elderly woman

54 irascible

a someone who just found out he has a rare disease

b someone who just inherited a farm with 200 acres

c someone who has just bumped into an old acquaintance, whom

she would rather not have seen, from high school

d someone waiting for his airplane to take off, only to be told four

hours later that his flight has been canceled and his luggage hasbeen lost

55 saturnine

a someone who just won the lottery

b someone who has just fallen in love

c someone who has just had a loved one end a relationship

d someone who is sleeping

Match the personality traits and attitudes listed in Column A to the descriptions in Column B.

a sitting alone in a corner.

b talking comfortably with a

large group of people

c trying to impress others by

telling them everything he orshe knows about any givensubject

d making ill-mannered and rude

2 5

Answers

41 b Personable means pleasing in appearance or manner; this is a

desirable quality in a roommate

42 d Surly means bad-tempered or unfriendly in a way that suggests

menace; this is a very undesirable quality in a roommate

43 d A punctilious person is conscientious and precise, and pays great

attention to details, especially in matters of etiquette

44 c A perfidious person is treacherous and dishonest.

45 b A sagacious person shows good judgment and is wise.

46 b A circumspect person is cautious and watchful.

47 d A sanguine person is cheerful and optimistic.

48 a Craven means cowardly.

49 a Capricious means impulsive and unpredictable; a judge should be

consistent in interpreting and applying the law

50 c An overweening supervisor would be presumptuously arrogant

and overbearing

51 b Blithe means light-hearted and carefree Only a young child in a

playground is likely to be blithe

52 a Someone who throws a tantrum because his or her soup was not

warm enough is likely to be petulant; unreasonably or easily

irritated

53 b A ten year old who has never been given responsibility is likely

to be puerile; childish and immature.

54 d Someone who has been waiting hours for a flight that is

eventually canceled and whose luggage is lost is likely to be

irascible; irritable and hot-tempered.

55 c Saturnine means gloomy and sullen Choice c is the only choice

that presents circumstances that would cause someone to begloomy

56 e A bumptious person would most likely be talking

condescendingly to others

57 d A churlish person would make ill-mannered and rude remarks.

58 a A diffident person would be shy and would most likely be sitting

alone in a corner

59 b A gregarious person would be seeking and enjoying the company

of others, and would most likely be talking comfortably with alarge group of people

60 c A pretentious person would be showy and would most likely be

trying to impress others by telling them everything he or sheknows about any given subject

2 6